City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Fort Wayne, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 8.3% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $108,300 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Detroit, MI and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,079 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Fort Wayne, IN ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Detroit, MI | Fort Wayne, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,297 in Fort Wayne | $108,346 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $916/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $47,700 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Fort Wayne, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 72.3 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 86.2 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,079/yr.
95 Strong offer
Fort Wayne, IN → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,079/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Fort Wayne, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Fort Wayne, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Fort Wayne, IN | Real change, Detroit → Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Fort Wayne, IN | Fort Wayne pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $59,800 | $64,791 (−0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $101,560 | $110,036 (−15.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $75,250 | $81,530 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $79,630 | $86,276 (−11.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.